Ill See You Again
by Pale Pilsen
Summary: AU. After finding Tsunade, Naruto continues to travel the world with Jeraiya instead of returning to Konoha. Now 4 years later, he returns. NarutoHinata.
1. Goodbye of sorts

Prologue  
  
Hinata POV  
  
Its been 3 weeks since the day of the Chuunin finals, 3 weeks since our peaceful village life was interrupted by invaders from the hidden village of sound and hidden village of sand, 3 weeks since the death of the Hokage. All around us, people are beginning to ease back into their routine. For us Genins, it means more training, striving to be stronger still.  
  
Our team usually gathers together at one to the training areas within the village. Easily accessible to most of the team, this is the most ideal place to gather together. The place is almost always unoccupied whenever we gather, but today someone else is waiting there as well, a fellow Genin, Sakura.  
  
Sakura was a classmate of mine back when I was in the academy, but she was never someone I had even considered a friend. This is not due to differences that exist between us; rather we never really had the chance to know each other back then. We knew each other, I respect her as a fellow shinobi, I acknowledge her mental prowess, but interaction between us was scarce at best.  
  
"Ohayo Sakura-san"  
  
"Ohayo Hinata"  
  
After dispensing with the pleasantries, I decided to sit on one of the logs adjacent to her, and wait for my teammates to arrive. We sit in silence for a while, neither of us knowing what to say to each other, or how to break the silence. We sit there together for a while, not speaking, after a while I notice her muttering to herself about tardy sensei's and teammates. This catches my attention, knowing Naruto-kun to be one of her teammates, I decided to ask her.  
  
"Ano..." I silently utter, trying to get her attention.  
  
"Nani?"  
  
"Ano... Are you waiting for someone, Sakura-san?"  
  
"Hai. They're late. Well it's not surprising for Kakashi-sensei, but Sasuke- kun and Naruto are usually early."  
  
"Oh..." I feel myself starting to blush upon hearing that Naruto-kun will be coming as well. I try to turn away to hide the redness on my cheeks, but she must have noticed, because she was staring at me with a curious expression on her face. She doesn't pry though, instead she asks:  
  
"What about you? Waiting for someone as well?"  
  
"Well... I'm supposed to meet Kiba-kun and Kurenai-Sensei... maybe Shino-kun as well, but they have not arrived yet."  
  
"Ahhh..." she replies. Again we lapse into silence, either one not knowing what to say next. We were interrupted by three voices calling out.  
  
"Ohayo!"  
  
"Ohayo."  
  
"Ohayo Kurenai-sensei, Kiba-kun, Shino-kun."  
  
"Kakashi hasn't arrived yet, huh?" Kerenai-sensei said, raising an eyebrow "...that baka. Still we should wait for Kakashi and your teammates, Sakura- san."  
  
'Nani?!' I silently ask. 'Does this mean... me and Naruto-kun...?' I wanted to know more, thankfully, Sakura-san voices out my unasked question.  
  
"Why? Will you be training us as well Kurenai-sensei?"  
  
"Hai, but it will probably be better to explain everything once Kakashi gets here."  
  
I tune out what Kurenai-sensei says after that, retreating to my own thoughts, as I try to come to terms with this situation.  
  
'Naruto-kun'  
  
I feel excitement, anticipation, awe, and just a touch of fear.  
  
Since way back, when I was still in the academy, I had always been drawn to Naruto-kun. I never really understood why then. I certainly didn't know him well enough, and he really wasn't talented enough to make anyone notice. I know why now though, I was drawn to him, because I saw myself in him. I could relate to him in a way that I didn't understand back then, and I secretly admired his hidden strength, his indomitable spirit.  
  
Back then I didn't understand things like these, I simply admired without knowing why.  
  
Deep down inside I had hoped for a chance to get to know him. Now it seems... I would finally have a chance....  
  
******************  
  
Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke-kun have finally arrived. Naruto-kun isn't with them though, but it looks like we are going to be starting soon. I see Kurenai-sensei beckon to me to come over, it seems like were going to be starting.  
  
Kakashi-sensei looks expectantly at Kurenai-sensei, finally she speaks:  
  
"Good morning everyone. Your probably wondering whats going on here, but as of now this will be your semi-permanent team. With me and Kakashi as your Jounin instructors. So as of now, team 7 and team 8 are now one team."  
  
"This is a mixed team composed of Chuunins and Genins, usually; you aren't sorted into field teams until you reach the Chuunin rank. With the current situation now though, it seems like a good idea to give you as much experience as possible. Our team will be assigned class C missions most likely, with a few Class B missions. Kakashi and I are confident that you will be able to complete them easily."  
  
I was shocked at hearing this, ever since I became a Genin, most of the missions I have done are class D missions, the only Class C mission I have ever done didn't turn into anything. I never really have had any actual battle experience yet. I don't know how I would fare in a B-class mission. Looking at my old and new teammates, I see Kiba-kun looking incredulously at the two sensei's. Shino-kun doesn't seem concerned. Sasuke-kun's expression doesn't change from his normal look, but his eyes are burning with resolve. Sakura-san's face is set with a determined expression.  
  
Kurenai sensei must have noticed my worried look, because she eventually adds:  
  
"Genins aren't usually assigned in groups with Chuunins, in any other year, all of you would have been Chuunins by now" she states, looking to the side at Kakashi-sensei, who nods in affirmation.  
  
"It just so happens that there were a lot of very talented individuals last time, normally, I'm sure you would all have been Chuunins by now. In less then 4 months, there will be another test, consider this... additional training for that."  
  
"Anyway now there were all here, let me explain this days exercises. Were—"  
  
"Wait! What about Naruto?!" Sakura-san suddenly interrupts.  
  
"He won't be joining us." This time it is Kakashi-sensei who replies.  
  
"Why? Is he ok?"  
  
"Jiraiya-sama will be taking care of him from now on."  
  
Nothing more was said on that subject as Kurenai-sensei continued with her explanation on that days exercise. Little did I know then, that 4 years would pass before I would see Naruto again.  
  
A/N:  
  
Hmm nothing much to say really. In the manga there were several mentions of a team consisting of 4 people, however I saw a 5 member ANBU team as well (the team that was gathered at the memorial, during the attack on the village.)  
  
I dont know for sure if the Chuunin candidates on that final exam made it a Chuunin, I cant find anything after reading everything until chapter 165 on that matter. I'm assuming that everyone made it though, they all seemed extraordinary to me.  
  
Feedback is welcome and very much appreciated.  
  
Title is Crappy, I know. 


	2. A rescue

Chapter 1  
  
Thick clouds had obscured the moon several hours ago, plunging the forest into a blackness that seemed to seep into the hearts of men. In a well- hidden clearing, there is a sudden rustling sound. A lithe figure silently emerges from the shadows of the forest, glancing around silently to make sure she wasn't being followed. Content, she jumps into the branches of a nearby tree, apparently waiting for someone. A few moments later, four more figures emerge from the shadows. A event which, brings the figure out of hiding to join them. Not a word is said between them, yet, they seem to come to a understanding. Each one nodding before going back into the shadows.  
  
They were being observed by a figure perched unseen on one of the branches a short distance away, seeing them begin to move again, the figure signals to his companion and they quietly follow. They move stealthily, making sure to make no sound to prevent their quarry from learning of their existence, they were confident, that in just a few moments, this chase would end.  
  
*****************  
  
Inuzaka Kiba, Chuunin of the Hidden Village of the leaf, tried to hold back the growing sense of panic that was threatening to overwhelm him. A few moments ago, his trusty companion Akamaru had sensed that they were being pursued by 2 individuals.  
  
He had never considered himself a coward; after all, he was a Chuunin and had several years of experience behind him. He knew that if it should come to a confrontation, he would fight—to the end if need be. His hesitation came from the fact the no one really knew just what they were up against.  
  
Strange things were in motion, and it seemed that it would not bode well for the Village. In the past few weeks there had been a very marked increase on attacks on Ninja's outside of the village. Due to the close proximity of the Village, most were able to escape – but there were a few fatalities and quite a number of injuries.  
  
They did not know the identities, numbers, and reasons for the attacks, but one thing was known- the attackers, whoever they were, were extremely skilled.  
  
Confronting these unknown assailants were not part of their current mission, but the threat was real. Deciding to wait for instructions, he began maneuvering towards the team leader to wait.  
  
*****************  
  
Uchiha Sasuke, Chuunin of the Hidden Village of the leaf and current leader of the group of ninja that were being pursued, knew he had to make a choice—and fast. His choice was not an easy one to make, and all his options were unattractive.  
  
Glancing at his team, he mentally did a quick survey to try to calculate their chances of success against this unknown opponent. The team was composed of Chuunins of the leaf: Haruno Sakura, while not blessed with abilities like those of the rest of the team, was one of its most experienced members. Aburame Shino, a member of the bug using Aburame clan had a plethora of bugs in which he could control. Inuzaka Kiba and his dog companion Akamaru, was a formidable duo. Hinata Hyuga, blessed with byukagan was also a talented fighter, utilizing a style of Taijutsu practiced by the Hyuga's. There certainly was talent in his team, but would it be enough against these unknown opponents?  
  
Their mission was to find a person and bring them back to the village, not to engage enemies. They were being pursued, but turning back to the village wasn't a good option either. Doing so would lead them directly into the hands of the enemy, and slowly circling their way back wasn't attractive either. The distance involved would be great and it would allow the enemy to gain on them as they did so. His second to the last option, continuing the mission and hoping to loose the opponents on the way wasn't a viable option as well. Since they couldn't pinpoint the exact location of the person they were looking for, hence making their ultimate destination a question mark, and also, they were quite tired, having been on the move since they left the village.  
  
He decided to fight.  
  
*****************  
  
In Aburame Shino's own opinion, things were definitely not going well. Although they only had two known opponents, their abilities were definitely way above theirs. Two members of the team were unconscious. The rest had taken damage, without inflicting one on the enemy.  
  
The enemies' initial assault came unexpectedly. The herald being Sakura's unconscious body as it was hurled towards Sasuke, followed by a similarly unconscious Kiba. The standing members of the team dashed towards Sasuke and the unconscious members of the team, forming a protective ring around them, vowing to protect them at all costs.  
  
The second wave pushed them to the limit, as a barrage of projectiles and different Jutsus were thrown towards the center of the formation, the weakest link – their unconscious friends.  
  
It seemed to Shino, as he glanced towards his tired and wounded comrades that this could possibly be the end. He's body was about to collapse from exhaustion, and he was out of Chakra. Hinata and Sasuke might be able to hold on for a little longer, but he could see they were tired as well. The enemy on the other hand showed no indication of letting up yet.  
  
His vision began to become blurry as his body began to shut down. The enemy had begun the third wave. The last thing he saw before he passed out was Hinata hitting the trunk of a nearby after being blown away by a strong gust of wind.  
  
*****************  
  
He was going to die. His team along with him. The opponents were too strong. It had been his decision to fight. It was his entire fault.  
  
All his Chakra was spent; his body was trembling, almost completely drained of energy. His wounds were unattended, not ever a hand to stop the flow of blood out of his body. He didn't have the energy to try and stop the flow. 'I'm going to die soon anyway.'  
  
A figure materialized from the shadows near the tree-line. 'This must be one of them', he thought to himself. He couldn't see much of his opponent, all he could make out was the outline of a man. He walked slowly, but not in a way that would indicate that the person he was walking too was a threat.  
  
He saw the man draw a sword. He looked at his comrades one last time, thanking them silently for the 4 years that they have been together. Wishing things would have been different. He closed his eyes and awaited his fate.  
  
He was expecting cold metal to pierce through him, but got a slap of air and dust instead. Followed by a very loud sound of something impacting against the earth. Slowly, he opened his eyes... and saw a huge toad. He blinked.  
  
Looking around, he could see find no trace of the man. He then looked for his teammates and found them unharmed, but still unconscious. A short distance away, he could hear the sounds coming from that seemed to be a battle that being waged. He couldn't see what was going on but the outcome became apparent when another body came crashing down near him.  
  
Another person came into the scene, this one landing more gracefully. The newcomer went to the fallen body and satisfied with whatever he was looking for turned towards him.  
  
The newcomer had no forehead protector to identify what village he came from, his attire was unusual for a Ninja. But his face was familiar. He was sure he had seen this person before.  
  
*****************  
  
Sakura regained consciousness feeling very disoriented. Overhead the sun was already beginning to rise, she could feel its rays through her closed eyelids. The forest was beginning to rise. In the distance she could hear the singing of a couple of birds. Their songs blending together to create something one could only described as peaceful. She wondered what she was doing in the middle of the forest early in the morning, her mind not yet awake enough to recall the events before she lost consciousness.  
  
She opened her eyes, and remembered.  
  
She was next to Sasuke and Shino, who were both still unconscious. Sasuke was being tended to by a tall man with long white hair. The man stopped bandaging Sasake's wound for a while to look at her.  
  
"Rest. We go back to the village in a few hours. Don't worry about them, they will all live."  
  
She just stared at the strange man and nodded, closing her eyes yet again and wondering if she was still dreaming. Suddenly remembering that there were still 2 other people from her party that were unaccounted for, she opened her eyes again.  
  
She saw Kiba underneath another tree with Hinata and another man. In her minds groggy state, she felt that she somehow knew this man not too long ago, but couldn't quite recall who he was. She just stared.  
  
She saw the man, who looked oddly familiar, lift Hinata's head and placed it down on his thigh. He them removed the clothing from his upper body and spread it over Hinata to use as a blanket. She watched him as she gazed at her face. He did so for a while, before lifting one of his hands, using it to brush against Hinata's cheek.  
  
He just sat there for a while, hand hovering hear her temples, before he finally lowered his hands and looked towards her with blue eyes. 


	3. Forgotten

This chapter contains SPOILERS to the later chapters of the manga. You have been warned. I don't know what will happen later on in the manga, so ill brand this fic as a AU this early on.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
The most confusing day of Hinata's life began, ever since she became a ninja, by waking up. She was in a brightly lit hospital ward, with a still sleeping Shino, Sasuke, and Kiba still out cold on the other beds, she wondered how she got here. Was she dead?  
  
A sharp pain that suddenly raced up her spine as she tried to get up, making her realize that she was still alive.  
  
The memory of the last battle up to the point when she fell came back to her slowly as she re-oriented herself to her new surroundings. Try as she might, she didn't know how the battle ended out, things were looking really bad before she passed out, and judging from the state of her still unconscious comrades, things didn't go too well for them either.  
  
Injuries were not a stranger to Hinata. In over 4 years of being a shinobi of the Hidden leaf, she had her fair share of Injuries. It was never anything that serious though, they had never encountered anyone who trounced on them that easily, even their team leader, considered to be a genius from the Uchiha clan, wasn't able to hold a candle to those two ninja's who were chasing them. They were considered one of the best on the village, a team while lacking in experience, had a great deal of potential. She wouldn't be surprised if some of them would be Jounin in a few more years.  
  
Hinata sighed to herself, it was pointless musing on things this early, she would have to hear about what happened later when the rest of her companions woke up. What's done was done and the best thing they could do was learn from the experience and learn from it. For not it was time to rest and heal.  
  
She eased back on the bed, preparing to go back to bed. Scanning the room once more before she closed her eyes, she saw a orange jacket hanging on the wall. It had markings common to those of leaf ninja's, but nothing on it to tell what clan the over came from. (See A/N) Resolving to ponder the mysterious jacket later, she relaxed and prepared to sleep. Her last thought before sleep claimed her was that the jacket seemed oddly familiar.  
  
****************  
  
The central watchtower located in the center of the village, was a building that a shinobi often goes to in the course of his career. Unlike its name, the central watchtower is not a structure from which sentries look outwards for any threat to the village, rather this building serves as a center where all business of the shinobi's of the hidden leaf pass through.  
  
In one of the many rooms located in this building, a young woman was making her report. She sat in aLone chair located in the middle of the room, facing 5 ninja's who sat on a long table. Of these 5 ninja's one was her former instructor, but she nevertheless spoke to them using formal, respectful tones.  
  
"... was taken out of action early on. I have not yet heard of the accounts of the others, as they were still unconscious when I left the hospital. I am regretful to report that the mission was a failure," she said as she completed her report. She risked a glance at Kakashi-- who was looking at his with a concern, which was hidden under a smile. She was tempted to smile, wave, or whatever, but she restrained herself. Now was not the time, especially not in front of these people.  
  
'We will try again, this time we will not fail' she wanted to add, but didn't. 'Sasuke would be crushed when he wakes up' she thought glumly.  
  
She sighed inwardly. Failure was something she was familiar with, after all she had been looking at Sasuke's back ever since he became a Genin. She had been leaning to cope for a long time. Sasuke would be another matter though. And she was worried about him. 'At least he's still unconscious for this one'.  
  
Bracing herself, she looked up to the person who sat at the middle of the table, the 5th Hokage, mentally preparing herself to the consequences of failure. She was mildly surprised when the Hokage smiled at her and said, "Get some rest" before standing up and heading out the doors, followed by 3 of the other occupants of the table.  
  
For a moment her mind went blank, not comprehending what just took place. While she didn't really believe that she would be given a hard time on their failure, she wasn't quite exactly expecting something like this either. She came to the room expecting a long arduous session detailing the smallest details of the mission, but instead got something else entirely. A smile and the impression that the failure didn't really matter.  
  
"Kakashi-sensei... what happens now? Wasn't this supposed to be something important?" she asked her former sensei, hoping to make sense of the situation. "Are you here to lecture all of us or what? What's going on?"  
  
Kakashi smiled. "It doesn't matter now, I'm just glad you guys are all right." he said before heading for the door. At the threshold he paused and said without turning around, "All of you." before closing the door leaving a confused Sakura behind.  
  
****************  
  
Sakura walked the corridor on her way to visit her friends. Having sustained the least injury from the last mission, she didn't have to stay in the hospital for treatment, her other companions were not as lucky though. They were still unconscious, but the nurse had told her that it wasn't anything to be worried about. The injuries they had sustained were not anything overly serious, just some broken bones and some minor wounds. She also mentioned that they would probably be waking up as soon as their body recovers.  
  
She had expected it of course, and knew that the reason for their lack of consciousness was overexertion. She knew her teammates, they had after all been together for four years, more if you counted their time together at the academy. They would fight until the end and probably exhausted all the chakra in their body. Since she had been knocked unconscious be a blow very early on she was able to avoid their fate.  
  
As she entered the door to the ward where the rest of her friends were being kept, she suddenly felt that she was forgetting something really important.  
  
She was so busy trying to figure out just what she was forgetting, she didn't notice a new arrival enter the room.  
  
Uzumaki Naruto, compared to the boy the he was 4 years ago, has changed quite a bit. While he was still the same person who dreamed of being Hokage and be recognized by the village, on the outside he had changed. The boy who was once dubbed the "#1 hyperactive ninja" of the Konoha village was now a man. He had mellowed out over the years, and the loud boy was now no more.  
  
4 years of training and travel with Jeraiya, to lands without a familiar face had smoothed down the rough edges of Uzumaki Naruto's personality. Instead of the usual loud greeting that would have proceeded such a occurrence, he instead let out a soft but unmistakable cough to catch Sakura's attention, mindful of the other occupants of the room who were currently recuperating.  
  
"It's been a while. Ne, Sakura-chan?" the smiling image of Naruto said, moving into the room, stopping at the side of Sasuke's bed.  
  
For her part, Sakura just stared. Not really knowing what to say to her former teammate. Despite having spent several months working together with Naruto, she really didn't know much about him. She was just beginning to wonder about who this person really was, when he was taken under the wing of the ninja Jeraiya. She had asked Kakashi and Kurenai of course, but they sidestepped the question. The others didn't even bother asking, so she just dropped it and eventually, stopped thinking about him altogether.  
  
Not that he was that important to her really.  
  
The old Naruto she knew how to handle, things usually started with her admonishing for something he would have had done by now. It was either his lack of manners or his loudness. The old Naruto would have been yammering about something by now, pretty loudly. But this Naruto was doing nothing of that sort, he hadn't done anything, leaving her without a opening, and she quite frankly didn't know how to respond.  
  
Naruto on his part, felt really awkward, and not getting a response of any sort from the woman still standing, directed his attention to the sleeping figures below him, forcing himself to look at the man he once and still probably did consider his rival.  
  
Sakura was still silent and he probably understood what was going on in her mind right now. He really didn't know what he was doing here at the moment, he knew his purpose of coming here, but Sakura's presence made him unable to do anything. Her silence further compounded the entire situation. He didn't feel like he was intruding, he had helped in saving them after all. By all rights she should be thanking him, but she probably didn't know that little fact. They probably didn't know that.  
  
Sighing resignedly, he cast once last look at the sleeping figures on the room before turning to face towards the door, to come face to face with two women he didn't know.   
  
"Your still alive I see," once of them said frostily, looking at him with the cold eyes that most of the villagers always used when he came about. "Pity."  
  
His features hardening he moved towards the door, not bothering to give them any sort of reaction. Before he crossed the doors threshold he paused and silently said, "I'm glad you're all ok. Good luck and Goodbye, Sakura-chan."  
  
Sakura just watched Naruto's back as he turned to leave and for the umpteenth time that day wondered just what was going on, Naruto's parting comment had pierced through her for some reason, leaving her wondering again if she had forgotten something.  
  
She suddenly gasped loudly when a image came suddenly to her. A image of Naruto under a tree, tending to a injured Hinata.  
  
A/N:  
  
Some of the leaf has marking identifying the clan where they come from. Sasuke has a fan on the back (Uchiha), Kiba's clan have the triangular markings on the face, The Hyuga's have the eyes, Shino has the glasses, Sakura has the round thingy on her back I'm just extending this little near inconsequential concept a bit.  
  
A ward is a room in the hospital where several patients share a room, FYI.  
  
Regarding Sasuke's skill level, I consider Sasuke a very good ninja, and he is in this fic. He isn't invincible though. As Zabusa said in chapter 13, "A real ninja is someone who has survived numerous brushes with death." Kakashi was a Chunin much earlier than Sasuke, but Sasuke has more potential. Kakashi's library of Jutsu's was gained through several years of battle; Sasuke only has 4-5 years of experience so far. Kakashi can be ambushed as well, he never detected Zabusa until he was very near, and if someone like Itachi was stalking him, I doubt things would turn out in his favor as well. I can go on for a few more pages. If the issue bothers you, lets move this discussion on to email. But for this fic, I believe Sasuke needs a few more years experience to be in Kakashi's level, he wasn't really ambushed though, they were able to detect them as they were following them, it was just they weren't able to do anything about the threat. =)  
  
Sorry for the late update, I had some trouble deciding how the rest of the story should go. I knew what I wanted to happen, wrote the first part, have the middle-end part thought up, but cant think of how to connect the rest of the story together.  
  
To the reviewers. Thank you. Thank you. Your input was very much appreciated and really helped push me into writing this next chapter.  
  
Regarding the style... this is my first fic and I am a bit confused on what POV to take. I'm basically trying things out to see what style I am comfortable with, hopefully when I find that, update will come more frequently. I'm using a third person POV but I have a tendency to suddenly go to the first person. 


	4. Plans

Blah blah blah blah blah. translation: Refer to disclaimers from the previous chapters   
  
Chapter 3   
  
Sakura stood frozen as the revelation suddenly came to her. He was there when she first woke up at the forest. What had he been doing there at that time? Sakura sat on that thought for a long time, but the importance of that little snippet of information, and the answer to her earlier question would elude her for a long time.   
  
************   
  
Unknown to Sakura, Hinata had been awake for quite some time now. She had been too groggy to really take notice when she first heard voices, and thought that she was dreaming at first. She was wide awake now, her mind reeling from the shock when she finally realized that it was Naruto who was visiting.   
  
She lay absolutely still, not doing a thing that would indicate that she was awake, but she had heard everything.   
  
She wondered, for the millionth time, just why they hated him so. Being a quite girl, Hinata had over the years learned to be very perceptive in observing the many people around her. And she had noticed this trend many times before when it came to the man known as Uzumaki Naruto. She had no idea what was going on really, but while it seemed like the villagers near her age only saw him as someone annoying and hence not really worth anything, the adults of the village looked at him with contempt and loathing. And she had been saddened that even now, they still continued to do so.   
  
For now though, she didn't dwell too deeply on that, she would ponder it later. The important event for now was he was here.. he had been here. And she never even got to look at his face.   
  
Hinata had never been a expressive person to begin with, but as time passed by she began opening up more and more to the people around her, most especially Sakura. Never being one to dwell on the past, she rather lived the present with them, getting closer though shared experiences both inside and outside work. She knew that they knew about the situation with the Hyuga's but that didn't really concern them.   
  
For some reason though, she felt that Naruto did concern them, and not just them, but a whole lot of other people. She had always tried to keep her attraction for him to herself, taking care not to let it show to anyone. Not that anyone was really watching, but still. Byukagan users are known for their heightened perception among other things and Hinata had learned to sharpen her perceptive abilities, not just when it came to combat, but on all aspects of her life.   
  
She had felt something else when it came to the young boy, something deeper, hidden beneath the surface. It was that feeling that started it all. It was nothing more than casual interest at first, she just watched him trying to figure out the puzzle that was the boy.   
  
As she continued to watch him though, she noticed things about him, and over time made she came to a conclusion. He was strong.   
  
It started as a sort of Hero worship. When she looked at him, she felt like he was battling something huge and unyielding every day of his life, but unlike others, he was still standing, never giving up. Always believing that there would be a way. Against such a unknown enemy he still continued to fight. She wished she could be like that.   
  
When the Chunin exams came, her admiration for him only grew more.   
  
At the day of the Chunin exam finals, at their last and possibly only real conversation, he had bared a part of himself to her. She saw the Naruto that she doubted a very few people had seen before, and if they did, she doubted that she understood just what they were looking at. She saw not his pain, but his struggle, his self-doubt, his determination to succeed no matter what the odds. His ninja way.   
  
It was on that day, when she knew that she had truly fallen for him.   
  
"But... a person like you. I really like" he had said to her, as he started on his way to the stadium. Simple but powerful words. It had left her shocked and speechless, knowing that out there, someone did believe in her. It had ultimately given her the confidence needed to finally change her and her life, she had resolved later on that she would work hard to make herself worthy of those words.   
  
Now more than 4 years later, here she was wondering if she was finally worthy.   
  
Her image of Naruto hadn't changed much from the boy that was Naruto 4 years ago. Now that he was here, she thought to herself that she would like to get to finally know him.   
  
She didn't know if he was in fact staying, but she promised herself that she should at least talk to him once. As soon as she got out of this hospital, that is.   
  
Her earlier thoughts forgotten, she giggled inwardly as images of the possibilities on just how they would meet came to mind.  
  
  
  
**************   
  
On one of the training areas of the village, a lone figure gazes upwards to the stone faces of the Hokage's of the village.   
  
Four years since he last gazed upon this monument, there are 5 faces on the side of the mountain now.   
  
"Your not planning on vandalizing the monument again are you, Naruto?" a familiar and missed voice suddenly says behind him.   
  
"Hmmm, If your going to treat me to some ramen afterwards, I might consider it" He replies, smiling mischievously at his former sensei before adding, "but no, Hokage-sama may kick me out of the village if I did something to her image-- literally."   
  
Iruka chuckled, amused at the thought of the Hokage in her robes of office, punting Naruto out of the village. She could do it too.. he mentally added, while letting his gaze drift to the image of the Fifth Hokage carved on the side of the mountain. His looked back to the young man who had turned back to gazing at the monument, drinking up the image of the person before him, taking note of the effects of 4 years worth of growth. He has grown much.   
  
Iruka moved a few steps until he was beside Naruto, putting his hand on his shoulder, he said "Glad to have you back."   
  
Iruka-sensei..   
  
  
  
"Arigato" he stated instead, his face beaming.   
  
"Yosh" Iruka stated, "Lets celebrate! Ill buy you some Ramen, my treat!   
  
**************   
  
  
  
  
  
Sakura slowly walked out of the hospital and sighed. A cold wind was blowing across the village tonight. After tying her hair together to prevent stands from flaying about, she slowly trekked back to her home. Sasuke had waken up earlier.. as had almost everyone else with the exception of Shino. She felt relieved, but at same time heavy hearted. Naruto's appearance at the hospital had her thoughts going into different tangents all day. She felt lower than a slug.   
  
The last time she had seen him, just before he had vanished from the village into who knows where, Sasuke had told her something. On that day they had no missions to take care of, the 3rd Hokage's death and the aftereffects of Orochimaru's attack on the village had temporarily scared away a lot of the village's customers, leaving most of its ninja's with nothing to do.   
  
Naruto was on the far side of the training area with Kakashi, unsuccessfully trying to learn the Chidori. As she and Sasuke watched at the sidelines she realized she had a rare opportunity here, she was alone with Sasuke with no Naruto to get in the way! Sasuke though, was intently watching Naruto with a strange expression on his face.   
  
"Sasuke-kun, thank you for that time you saved me from the grip of the sand", she had said, hoping to kick off a conversation that she hoped would turn romantic later on. Instead of Sasuke saying something like her being important and all, he had denied it saying that the one who had saved her had been Naruto. She hadn't really believed him, since it had never entered her mind that anyone other than Sasuke would be able to beat Gaara, most especially not Naruto.   
  
"To save you, that guy risked death. Up until now, you haven't really seen him, so you haven't seen his strength either.", he had added after a moments thought.   
  
She realized now, that those words had been true in more ways than one. She hadn't really tried to understand Naruto, to her he was just a person she had to work with, who had over time become someone she was comfortable around. She acknowledged his improvement, and the fact that he was better than her, but she had never really thought him strong. Whatever Naruto may have been, Sasuke was better.   
  
'Have I been that selfish all along?' Sakura thought to herself. Naruto had obviously considered her a friend, he had even saved her life.. putting his own life at stake. Yet she could not even remember saying anything kind towards him.. ever. She had never said thanks, She couldn't even come to his aid, opting to stay silent while two women insult him openly, saying it was a shame that he lived even! Oddly enough, those two women reminder her of herself... long ago.   
  
**************   
  
The 5th Hokage of the Hidden leaf, Tsunade, looked up briefly at the bartender as a plate of grilled eel was placed on the table that she was currently sharing with Jeraiya.   
  
The duo was currently arrayed on one of the many roadside stalls that do business inside the village. Jeriaya's face was set in a serious expression, a sure sign that he was either talking about something pertaining to the past, or business. In this case, the latter was true.   
  
Tsunade was the person on the village who knew Jeraiya the longest, she knew that something important was up but knew that when it came to dealing with Jeraiya, it would be better to wait it out and let Jeraiya say it on his own. She poured some sake on his cup and hers and waited.   
  
She didn't have to wait long.   
  
"I have a favor to ask you Tsunade." he said, before pausing to down his cup.   
  
"Ill be staying here for a while, but I wont be taking care of Naruto anymore. He's technically a adult now, but... its more than that."   
  
"What are you talking about?" Tsunade queried, slightly confused.   
  
"As Naruto's teacher, I don't have any more jutsu's to teach him. These four years, that brat has really grown as a shinobi." he sighed. "I'm worried Tsunade."   
  
"Naruto is strong, stronger than any of the current Jounins of the leaf. He hasn't quite reached our level yet, but his limit is still nowhere in sight. His potential is astounding, his chakra--almost limitless. He would be... no doubt a valuable asset to the leaf, and in a few years time, a acceptable choice to be the 6th."   
  
"What worries me is that while he continues to grow as a shinobi, he does so outside the leaf. He is slowly loosing that side of him that is tied with the village. He is a shinobi of the leaf, but slowly he is turning to be just a shinobi. A very strong shinobi, but just a shinobi nonetheless."   
  
"You mean to tell me, you don't want him turning out like me then?" Tsunade said softly.   
  
"Not in that sense, the circumstances are as different as they can be, but basically yes."   
  
"So… what does you asking for a favor have to do with this?"   
  
Jeraiya told her.  
  
  
  
"I see…." She trailed off. Downing another cup of sake. Her last for the night.  
  
  
  
A/N:   
  
Just realized this fic is a AU in a true sense now... anyway chapter 172 was a huge disappointment. He should have been a Chunin dammit!   
  
Jounin vs. Special Jounin - In the manga there are mention of people who are Jounin and those that are special Jounin. Kakashi, Kurenai, Gai, Jeraiya, et. al are Jounin. While Ibiki, Anko(not sure if she is), Ebisu, et. al, are Special Jounin. The ninja hierarchy in the manga is Genin, Chunin, jounin, and hokage. How jounin are different from special jounin isn't really explained. My belief is, special Jounin are a sort of intermediate rank between a Chunin and a Jounin. People who hold this title are technically of the Chunin rank, but have specialized jobs, which justify giving them the title of special jounin. I noticed that Morino Ibiki and Ebisu have specialized lines of work, Torture and Interrogation and Elite teacher, respectively. ( I don't really know what Anko normally does, but she's cute *smile*) For this story, I'm following this hierarchy.   
  
Regarding just what Naruto looks like in this story, ill leave that up to you. I think of him as looking basically like the old Naruto, only taller and had his forehead protector tied loosely around his neck (like the ceremony honoring the 3rd). But hey, that's just me.   
  
Regarding how he turned out... you cant really saw just what will happen. It's a fact that Jeraiya, Iruka, Tsunade and maybe even Kakashi did a lot of stupid things when they were young. (Kakashi vol 16, Iruka chap 1, Jeraiya and Tsunade... well they still do a lot of stupid things on occasion.) So saying that its impossible that Naruto will turn out like that blah blah blah would be wrong because these people may have acted similarly to him at a young age but they all turned out differently.. weird, but a different kind of weird. hehe.   
  
On the last chapter, someone mentioned grammatical errors. I offer no excuses for that.. but your probably continue to see them anyway. I'm posting this stories without the benifit of a beta reader, and I'm basically too lazy to double-check the stuff I write. ( I use Wordpad to type is as well, and use Word only before I upload *hangs head*) I guess I could look for a beta reader to check up on the story prior to posting, but that would mean that I would have to revise again, and I honestly don't want to do that. I don't consider this story good enough to have to be beta'd anyway. 


	5. Meetings

Blah blah blah blah blah.  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Uchiha Sasuke, Chunin of the hidden leaf and recovering shinobi, walked out of his home just like he would on any normal day. The effects on the injuries he had sustained at the battle in the forest had seemingly failed to have any lasting ill effect on his body. If it were not for the bandages that covered certain portions of his body, it would seem that he wasn't injured at all. He walked down the street --alert, but disinterested in the things going on around him.  
  
He had just been released from the hospital yesterday, a few hours after regaining consciousness. His injuries did not seem serious enough to justify him staying more then he already did, so after a quick check from the doctors and nurses, he was told that it would be alright for him to go home provided he take it easy for the next few days and just rest.  
  
He had absolutely no intention of following that.  
  
So here he was the very next morning, on his way to a stall that he frequented to get some food before he would head out to a training area to practice, that he came across something unusual.  
  
Outside the ramen stand was a group of shinobi looking at something inside, it looked as if they were sizing up someone. The group consisted mostly of shinobi's who made Chunin after Sasuke. From a few steps away, he could hear them whispering to each other.  
  
"Is that guy from the leaf?"  
  
"I don't remember seeing a guy who looks like that here"  
  
"He has a forehead protector.. he's from the leaf alright"  
  
"Maybe he's a new Genin..."  
  
"Well I'm sure he's not a Chunin, I've never seen him here before. He doesn't look like a Jounin either --too young."  
  
"You think he's a spy or.... Sasuke-san!" the last one, a Chunin named Shigenobu Yokota exclaimed.  
  
"Whets going on here?" Sasuke silently asked the gathered shinobi, staring at them each one of them in turn,  
  
"Sasuke-san" said Shigenobu, "There's a suspicious individual inside. He's has a Konoha forehead protector but... none of us can remember seeing him here before."  
  
"He doesn't have a vest, and he doesn't look like a Genin to me. Too old." added Tamura Kenoe, another new Chunin.  
  
"With all the strange things that's been happening around here.. we thought it would be wise to follow him here, Sasuke-sempai." finished Shigenobu, looking down the ground in a gesture of respect towards Sasuke.  
  
Sasuke listened carefully to the other shinobi's as they continued recanting their surveillance of the stranger. He was well aware of the strange thing that has been happening outside the walls of the village lately, his own team having had their own encounter with the mysterious attackers a few days ago. He parted the curtains of the ramen stand slightly to personally observe the individual, half listening and Tamura and Shigenobu as they continued their commentary on their surveillance of the individual.  
  
He did a quick scan of the interior of the place. 'That must be him', he thought as a individual caught his attention. It wasn't hard not to, the place was rather small and the number of customers inside was rather minimal. From his vantage point, he could only see the persons back, but he already knew that Shigenobu and company's suspicions were valid; he didn't seem like a part of the leaf. 'The profile seems wrong. Better find out who and what his business here is.'  
  
He turned towards the other shinobi's and formulated a plan. Confronting him inside was out of the question, as it might precipitate something unforeseen and lead to something worse. Cornered men are sometimes driven to do unusual things to try and save their skins, and a fight in close quarters with civilians was far from ideal. If it should come to a fight it would be better if they did it at the place and time of their choosing. Shinobi's prefer to fight in the shadows and take advantage of all advantages that they have.  
  
In the blink of an eye, the gathered leaf nins vanished to take their positions.  
  
**************  
  
Inside, Uzumaki Naruto, former Genin and current special Jounin of the hidden leaf sighed as he finished up his dinner, searching the bottom of the bowl for the last strands of the noodle from his ramen. 'So many things has changed' he silently told himself. 'It seems that... even the taste of the Ramen has changed'  
  
As a youth, he had frequented this ramen place. Taking the opportunity to dine here whenever the opportunity to presented itself, sometimes with Iruka-sensei... more often than not, alone.  
  
'Not Iruka-sensei.. just Iruka from now on' he smiled as he remembered his earlier conversation with his former teacher over lunch. He had insisted that Naruto refer to him as just Iruka from now on. 'I have nothing left to teach you, Naruto-kun. It wouldn't be right for you to continue addressing me as sensei anymore.' he had said 'I'm proud of what you've become Naruto. I hope you believe that.'  
  
With Iruka's words, Naruto felt that he had recovered a part of his past self. During his travels with Jeraiya he had constantly moved from place to place, surrounded by a sea of strangers and anonymous faces. As time moved on he found that the part of himself that was associated with the Leaf was slowly being buried. He didn't really notice this at first, he just woke up one day realizing that he was no longer fighting for the village-- to gain their respect and protect the ones important to him, he was just fighting for himself. And he was scared.  
  
As his body grew, so did his relationship with the 9 tails. Jeraiya had once told him that the seal the 4th Hokage had placed his body had two functions: To seal the Kyubi inside him and to protect the vessel, which was him, by allowing the chakra of the 9-tails to mix with his own. Eventually it would reach a point where he would be able to integrate a part of himself with the 9-tails, a sort of commensualistic relationship between them. Jeraiya had thought him how to harness and control that almost limitless source of chakra.  
  
It was after a certain run-in with Akatsuki, where Naruto's eyes had finally been opened to the situation he was in. It was after that battle when they had decided to finally head back to the hidden leaf. It was a particularly hard battle... their opponents being a pair S-class criminals from the cloud country. While Jeraiya was squaring off with one opponent, Naruto took care of the other. They were very skilled, and in the end, Naruto had been forced to seek out more Chakra from the 9-tails.  
  
He almost lost it then.  
  
He almost didn't make it back. He almost lost himself and let the bloodlust and the Kyubi take control. For a while, the Kyubi's lust for blood had taken control of his body, he had disposed of his and Jeraiya's opponent effortlessly and in a particularly gruesome manner, tearing them apart with his bare hands. Jeraiya had rescued him from himself after that... but barely. He shuddered at the memory, the desire to kill... the deep hunger for blood.  
  
He could vividly remember when the kyubi took control of his body. His hopelessness as he watched himself butcher those cloud nin, tearing away his appendages then plunging his hands into his body then tearing it apart. He struggled hopelessly to gain control... grasping blindly for something.. anything to bring him back. He could hear Jeraiya desperately calling to him.. trying to bring him back. Mentioning names of his comrades... giving him a reason to come back. Sasuke, Sakura, Iruka, Kakashi, Tsunade, Shizune. He had mentioned them all... as he avoided the blood crazed kyubi's attack, unwilling to fight the kyubi head on, desperately avoiding having to fight his student and friend. The Naruto inside could hear him, trying to grasp the images those names invoked inside him. He couldn't... they were too far away.. too hazy.  
  
He could see them all... so far away, fading into the walls of his mind. In the background Jeraiya was screaming various clans from the leaf... praying for something.. anything to click.  
  
"...HYUGA!"  
  
At the mention of the name, a image of Neji had appeared, but like the rest he was too vague.. too far away to grasp. As the image of this Neji started to fade away, a new image started to take form. The image of a woman with the same eyes, but short bluish hair. Unlike the others she approached him, when she was close enough, she bowed her head down and offered him a bottle of medicine, just like she did after his battle during the prelims for the Chunin finals.  
  
He rushed to her and held her tight, unwilling to let go. He embraced the image and soon, tears started flowing from his eyes. He could not remember why exactly had had cried then, it had been a combination of a lot of things. The fear of being stuck like this forever, the feeling of being dirty after having your body being violated, the knowledge of just how alone he was, and relief. Relief from the fact that someone did come for him --that someone cared.  
  
He continued crying until he felt a pair of arms encircled him, holding him tight. He looked up, eyes obscured by his tears, into Jeraiya's face. He had finally returned.  
  
When he had finally returned to the village, he felt himself remembering those images from that day. His reunion Iruka, Tsunade, Kakashi and Shizune had been particularly bright, but there were some dark spots as well. A lot of villagers still looked at him with those cold eyes, Sakura had said nothing... looking at him like he was some sort of stranger. She... she had been asleep.  
  
She.. Hyuga Hinata... he had never really noticed her before, and he didn't know what made his memory of her so strong. After that day, he had been thinking a lot of her. Trying to remember instances of any kind of interaction between them. There had been few, but now looking at them... they were happy memories. He hadn't paid a lot of attention to her, but she had never been anything buy kind to him. Seeing her in the forest had awaked feelings inside of him.. feelings he did not fully understand.  
  
He was determined to know her... or get to thank her at the very least. A thank you for a lot of things. It would have to wait though; right now his concern was a place to rest. His old home had been uninhabited for more than 4 years now, and he didn't know what state it was in. Jeraiya was out of the question as well. No matter how high he looked at Jeraiya as a teacher and a friend, he wanted to build a life of his own here as well. He would have to visit his house tomorrow to make it livable... for now; he would have to settle in one of the village inns.  
  
He looked at his empty bowl of ramen, knowing that it was time to leave. He had never been one to stay at one place idly while there were other things that needed to be done. Perhaps it had been a effect of his weird upbringing. His need to get away from those eyes as soon as possible. Slowly he stood up and put the backpack on his back, making sure that the huge scroll he was carrying was secured, walked out into the cool night.  
  
After 4 years of being chased by the Akatsuki for some reason, Naruto had honed his instincts well. He could sense that someone had been watching and following him even since he left the ramen place. They had been following him even before then... at least 4 of them. He stopped and set his pack and scroll down on the ground. Just in case.  
  
"Who are you and why are you following me?" Naruto called out. "If you're looking for a fight, attack now... if not, leave me alone."  
  
Hidden in the trees, Sasuke had been shocked when he saw the strangers face. He wasn't a stranger at all, that is, if it was indeed him. He had to make sure. He jumped from his hiding place into plain view.  
  
"Whets the password?" Sasuke called out.  
  
'What password?" Shigenobu Yokota thought, surprised by Sasuke's question. It didn't make any sense. 'How will that help?' he wondered. He tensed almost expecting the stranger to attack, Sasuke could take care of himself, but if he should attack he would be ready to strike and join they fray.  
  
Sasuke looked at the person before him, the person he hadn't seen for four years. Up close he was almost sure it was him, it made sense now. 'That frog in the forest, I should have realized it sooner.' Naruto looked at him for a while, before answering.  
  
"I'm sorry Sasuke. I forgot the code-word", Naruto grinned.  
  
Sasuke sighed, "It's been a while.. Naruto."  
  
A/N:  
  
Special thanks to ErichHansson and Bombadil Goh for you know what. =) 


	6. Finding home

Chapter 6  
  
For Uchiha Sasuke, most of his life had been spent training in anticipation of the coming of a certain day. The day when his brother would die by his hands. The day when the spirits of his family could rest in peace and his demons would no longer torment him.  
  
Fortunately or unfortunately, his dreams of vengeance would never come, for Itachi had been killed 3 years ago. His preserved head had suddenly arrived at the village and presented to him. The rest of Itachi had been disposed of.  
  
He had been enraged at first, the satisfaction of ending Itachi's life was supposed to have been his, and now someone had stolen that from him. He had sacrificed so much had worked so hard for the chance. Itachi had destroyed his family; he had given his childhood for his quest. Had it all been for naught?  
  
It had taken him some time, but eventually he had learned to accept the fact that Itachi was dead. He had given much, yes. But, he had the rest of his life ahead of him, freed from the burdens of his past. It was time to move on, and so he did. He had personally destroyed Itachi's head. His eyes would have been a asset for the village, but he had destroyed that too. It would finally lay his troubled spirit to rest.  
  
He was content. Vengeance no longer ruled over his life. His village, his comrades, and the resurrection of his clan was now his reason for living. His life had changed, for the better. But, there were times when he sometimes wondered on what things would have been like had Itachi still lived. Would he be stronger than he was now? If he had continued to try and avenge his family. Would he still have his friends? Would he be happy?  
  
Perhaps he would never really know. Many things had changed over the years. A lot of things indeed.  
  
His encounter with Naruto the previous evening had brought a lot of old memories back to the surface. Memories from a chapter of his life that he thought he had lain to rest. It wasn't exactly that a lot of things had been said, Naruto had been uncharacteristically subdued it seemed. It was just Naruto, though he had known him only for only a little while, had been a big part of his past, the past that he thought he had closed. He had never managed to square things out him before he suddenly disappeared. Admittedly at that certain time, he didn't particularly care what happened. He had been focused on other matters.  
  
The encounter the night before had been brief and a bit awkward. They were not exactly friends, but he had to admit that there was something between them. He was someone who understood the pain of his childhood. More importantly he was a comrade-in-arms. A part of the brotherhood that soldiers forge in the battlefield facing life and death situations. Battling against opponents that were more often than not, stronger than them. A brotherhood that had been tempered when blood had been spilt to protect. To protect that special person. Kakashi, Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto. Team 7.  
  
******************  
  
Naruto had never before realized how much dust a room can catch in a span of four years. When Naruto had arrived on his old apartment earlier in the morning, the place was covered in dust. He had spent most of his morning cleaning the place out; his endeavor was made longer due to the fact that when he had left, he had left thinking he would only be gone for a few weeks at most. His things had been left uncovered, and as a result, all of them had accumulated a lot of dust and had to be taken out for cleaning. A lot of his other possessions were in need of replacement as well, the result of four years of neglect. Most of his possessions could be replaced at a later time... other things, like his bed, needed to be replaced as soon as possible. He planned in getting them sometime this afternoon--after his meeting with the Hokage.  
  
Jiraiya had told him that he would be resuming his duties to the village soon. He had expected that. Konoha was after all, a village of Ninja's. Missions for its many clients was the lifeblood of the village. It was through these missions that made the shinobi village prospered the same village which had supported and had kept him fed for the past few years. He needed to start earning his keep once again. A useless ninja was a liability after all. Just what he would be doing, he wasn't sure yet, but he would probably find out later.  
  
Not that he needed to needed the village to pay for his needs. He had been drawing the pay of a genin for the first year of his journey, and after that the pay of a jounin. Again not that he needed it, for though he was an orphan, he had never found himself in need of funds. His apartment, though unremarkable and sparsely furnished, was but a small portion of the assets that had under his name. A large tract of land located away from Konoha, but somewhere in the fire country, another house located somewhere in the fringes of the village, some trinkets that he presumed were heirlooms of his family and a extravagant sum had been left to him. Possessions that he suspected once belonged to his family. He never knew who his family was... not even their names, but he knew they had been a part of the village elite. The third Hokage had implied that much.  
  
The family name Uzumaki was a fabrication. A falsehood that needed to be done to protect. To protect what exactly, he didn't know. It was either to protect him, the sole surviving scion of the clan. Or to protect the rest of the clan, lest they be tainted with having him— the vessel of the demon fox, as one of them.  
  
Family was the one thing that he had always wanted as a child. His first family, his biological family, was dead. As far as he was concerned, the clan died when his parents died. His second family, his former acquaintances—he was a stranger to them now, with the exception of a few. It seemed to him, that family would be one of those things that would always be denied to him, but he still hoped.  
  
Someday.  
  
******************  
  
On a structure located on the center of the village, a woman ponders on a problem. A problem that goes by the name of Uzumaki Naruto. Jiraiya's revelations last night had unnerved her. Naruto was someone special, watching him doggedly trying to learn the rasengan had proven that. Seeing him actually learn the technique despite his limitations at that time had further reinforced that belief. Having the strength to wrest back control from the kyuubi had proven things beyond doubt.  
  
No. Kyuubi taking control would not be a problem...  
  
"So... what does you asking a favor have to do with this?" Tsunade asked his companion who was refilling his cup.  
  
"I need you to take Naruto under you wing."  
  
"Why is that?" she asks speculatively, "Its not like there's a lot of things that I could teach him that you haven't—"  
  
"It isn't that Tsunade," he interjects. "This isn't about jutsu's, or about being a ninja...." He trails off, before continuing, "It's about finding his place within the village. I want him to be happy... or at least content. His father would too..."  
  
"He would, wouldn't he?"  
  
"Also, from the last encounter we had when kyuubi took over, it was his ties with the people in the village that took him back. Strengthening those ties would help him as well."  
  
"Hmm..," she murmurs, "I see."  
  
Naruto it seemed never had that many people to which he was able to confide in, that number of people had decreased further after his long absence. Iruka, Jiraiya, Shizune, and herself were among those that were left. Having him under the Hokage's wing would send a clear message to the village.  
  
Jiraiya had suggested re-integrating Naruto back into the ranks of the leaf. Not only to give him a chance to learn new things and get experience, but also as a way to gain the other ninja's trust.  
  
She was certain that he would have a bit of difficulty with the older ninja's at first. Prejudices are hard to break, but she was confident that in time, Naruto would win them over, like he did many of those with whom he has crossed paths with.  
  
Besides, she had her own designs on the lad. She didn't really want to be Hokage, she didn't feel that she was the right person for the job. Her approach to things, like her approach to most of the things in her life had always been the direct approach. Brute strength to overcome obstacles. The Hokage needed more than that... diplomacy and compromise had never been her thing. There were no possible successors to the office amongst the villagers yet, but perhaps in a few years, Naruto can take over. And she can finally rest, and return to gambling.  
  
Still Finding things for Naruto to do in the village would be something that she needed to think about, among other things.  
  
'Whats this?' she thinks to herself, as she looks at the list of things she needed to take care of for the day.  
  
"Interesting..."  
  
******************  
  
"Understood" he replies.  
  
He was at the administrative building having finished getting his current work assignment from the Hokage. He was on a lone chair situated in the middle of a large room; in front of him was a large table with the Hokage sitting at the center of the table. She was flanked by 2 shinobi's on each side. Doubtless administrator-nins who had administrative duties, tasked with updating the records.  
  
This was his final stop before the end of his day here in the building. Earlier, he had to update his records and do 4 years worth of paperwork. Luckily, his lack of official missions for the village meant that there wasn't a lot of paperwork that needed to be done. After that he had rushed to see the Hokage to receive his duty assignment.  
  
He wasn't quite sure what to make of his duties. On one hand, he would be joining the ANBU, which was a good thing. On the other hand, his other duties outside of the ANBU, he wasn't too sure about.  
  
Fighting under a mask, cloaked in anonymity had a certain appeal, and was thus a good thing. ANBU types generally created their opinions on you based on how you perform your duties in the battlefield. It was either they trusted that you were competent, competent enough that they were comfortable placing their lives on your actions, of you aren't. He knew that he had come a long way since his first battle on the way to the wave country. The Naruto that sat in front of the hokage was a far cry from the Naruto that froze in his first battle experience with the chunnin duo from the hidden mist. As far skills were concerned, he was confident that he would get the job done. The spare time was a bonus as well.  
  
ANBU teams alternate, their readiness follow a certain cycle. A certain number of teams are active at any given time, while other teams rest, recuperate, train, or based on their readiness; attend to their other village duties. Kakashi had been on and off ANBU teams before he was pulled out indefinitely to guide team 7 a few years back. In Naruto's case, his ability to be able to take down almost any ninja, had earned him the duties of a hunter-nin—A ANBU ninja who specialized in assassinating other ninja and disposing of the body to protect the secrets it might possess. A hunter- nin worked alone or as part of a group. In his case... he would be the body disposal specialist of ANBU team J once a week. He was ready enough now; Jiraiya had been very thorough in his teaching. The specialized nature of a hunter-nin and an ANBU ninja virtually ensured a lot of time that could be devoted to training. When ANBU teams are active, they aren't required to meet every day, though training together is encouraged to promote teamwork. Being the active team just meant that they had to be ready to receive duties at any time.  
  
He was looking forward to being a part of the ANBU; his other duties outside of the special group though... bothered him. The paper pushers at the administrative offices had given him the task of protecting the Hokage in addition to his duties at the ANBU. Itachi and Orochimaru had been the last of the S-Class missing nin's from the leaf. Itachi was already dead, and the leaf didn't have any plans of disposing of Orochimaru just yet. Sending a hunter-nin for assassinations of most non-ninja's was overkill, so the lack of jobs to do had prompted his other duty.  
  
What bothered him about the assignment wasn't the difficulties that were involved, these wasn't much. Tsunade was freakishly strong and was very skilled... she could take care of herself. Also, the threat to her inside the village was very small, no problems in that area. It wasn't the person that he was going to be guarding either. Since he had met Tsunade, he had always been a bit fond of the young looking Hokage of the leaf. No, what irked him was the fact that he was expected to follow the Hokage around the village during her rounds, and Iruka had mentioned that she made a lot of those. Tsunade it seemed, was well loved by the village, she spent as much time as possible outside the office and was often seen going around the village checking on how things were, or around the company of Shizune and her pet pig, who was teaching the villages medical nin's. The thing that bothered him was the thought of being in contact with the villagers.  
  
He sighed quietly as he thought of that little fact. The ninja sitting to the left of Tsunade was winding down on the specifics of his ANBU assignment; he tuned him out, knowing that those same specifics would be given to him in writing anyway. He was brought back into attention as Tsunade spoke to him.  
  
"By the way Naruto," Tsunade says. "The second stage of the chunnin exam is in 3 days... I want you to be the examiner."  
  
He stared at Tsunade for a moment, somewhat incredulous, before responding, not quite sure that he heard the Hokage correctly. "I beg your pardon Hokage-sama?"  
  
******************  
  
Hyuga Hinata peeked at her companion who was currently walking beside her. She had been released from the hospital yesterday; her lack of any real injuries from the battle in the forest didn't require her to stay at the hospital any longer than she already had. Her team was currently on sojourn for a little while, a sort of reward for the completion of their last mission. That and the fact that there weren't any missions that needed to be done at the moment. She was on her way to the preferred watering hole. One of the many that catered to the ninja's of the village. She had plans to meet with her former mentor, Yuuhi Kurenai. Beside her was Sakura.  
  
Kurenai had long ago ceased to be her sensei, but over time the student- teacher relationship that they had turned into a friendship. Despite being assigned to different units and duties now, she still managed to meet with Kurenai regularly. Other then Sakura, Kurenai was one of the people whom she often turned to for advice, especially when she needed a more mature viewpoint. She did this so often, that Sakura, who usually went with her to these meetings, had begun to view Kurenai in a manner similar to the way she did.  
  
Sakura usually looked forward to these meetings. Kurenai and Mitarashi Anko—who was usually there as well, was a treasure trove of knowledge and experience when it came to ninja's of the opposite sex. A topic where Sakura, and to a lesser degree Hinata, was very interested in. Their adult and oftentimes strange conversations were something that almost always managed to pull them out of their funks. Hinata hoped that it would.  
  
The place was one of the tea houses near the center of the village, the said tea house was a place where most male ninja's neglect to visit. Most of them preferred places like the Ichiraku, where the former team 7 liked to meet, or the barbecue place, where the former team 8 preferred. Their absence was quite noticeable, and unexpected. In fact the liked to meet here for that very reason, that and the fact that they had a nice selection of tea—which Sakura liked, and that their pastries were very good—which Anko adored.  
  
The latter was already at their usual table, munching on a large plate laden with tea cakes. Hinata saw her glace at them when they entered. She waved before focusing her attention back to the tea cakes.  
  
"Ohaiyo, Anko-san" she greeted the woman, bowing a bit before taking her seat. Beside her, Sakura offered a bow as well.  
  
"Hinata, Sakura! Glad to see your both ok," she says before pausing to shove another cake into her mouth.  
  
"I heard you had a run in with some ninja's on your last mission, "another pause, and a sip of tea. "What happened there?"  
  
She glanced at Sakura, who was unusually quiet, before turning back to face Anko. She was just about to respond to the question, when the door chime sounded, signaling the arrival of another customer to the shop.  
  
Kurenai breezed through the door, wearing a scowl on her face, before zeroing to their table. All the while muttering about aged perverts and stupid young boys.  
  
"What's up?" Anko queried a still very visibly aggravated Kurenai. "Its not Gai again is it?"  
  
"NO! It's that pervert Kakashi and his stupid perverted books. Parading it around, has he got no shame! Arrrrgh!" she half screamed out in anger before taking deep breaths to calm herself.  
  
Sakura was looking Kurenai a bit warily, not affected by Kakashi's actions at all. She was used to it. Hinata, who never bothered to find out about the little book that Kakashi always carried with him, remained silent, hoping that her teacher would calm down a little first before asking for her to elaborate.  
  
Anko seemingly unconcerned about Kurenai's state asked, "What are you talking about?" Kurenai was still breathing raggedly, in the background she could hear the shops bell ringing, announcing the arrival of yet another customer but she ignored that for the moment, more concerned on uncovering the reason for Kurenai's distress.  
  
Kurenai took a few more breaths and half a cup of tea before she replied. "Its nothing, Kakashi's just being a pervert, that's all," She replied flippantly. "He's managed to acquire a new volume of the dumb book that he likes to carry around, Icha Icha paradise. He's been quoting passages from the stupid thing the whole day."  
  
Across the table, Sakura nodded in understanding. She was well acquainted with Kakashi's strange habits. Kakashi had been toting that book around with him for as long as she could remember. She could recall Kiba—who had acquired a preference for the books, lamenting the lack of recent volumes. It seemed that the author was back. "Kiba would probably be happy to know "she thought.  
  
Beside Sakura, Anko was more confused that ever. Unlike Kurenai and Sakura, she hardly ever had encounters with the infamous Kakashi. Anko rarely associated with the other shinobi in the village, and the shinobi that she did associate with never mentioned anything like that. As it was now, Anko couldn't make sense on what Kurenai was saying.  
  
"Icha Icha Paradise?" she asked, "What's so special about that book?"  
  
The question was directed at Kurenai, but it was a voice behind her that answered. "It's a book based on the travels of a legendary pervert."  
  
The tables' occupants turned to look at the newcomer; it was Shizune, wearing a neutral expression on her face. Behind her was an amused looking Naruto.  
  
"You mean it's a true story?" asked a horrified looking Sakura. Shizune nodded. Sakura had read some passages from Kiba's copies, a lot of them were very risqué. Especially to someone as unaware to the realities on sex, like Sakura. Sakura may have had some fantasies with Sasuke, but none of them were anything like the situations that the "hero" of the book, seems to constantly find himself in.  
  
Across Sakura, Kurenai had a pallid look on her face. Kurenai, though she was considerably a lot older than Sakura, was as ignorant as Sakura when it came to sex. Romance and intrigue in the village she was knowledgeable about, the things had been snickering about all day though, was out of her league. Kurenai suddenly remembered some snippets from Kakashi's earlier reading. In a somewhat shaky voice she asked Shizune, "The- Then the story where the hero comes across a ninja who uses the sharingan to control women... is true?"  
  
Shizune looks at Kurenai for a moment; she understood why she was scared. The sharingan was powerful, but it was hard to explicate fact from fiction when it came to what it can and could not do. She looks at Naruto for confirmation.  
  
Naruto understood her look, and answered.  
  
"Well..." he hesitantly began, "control isn't really the right term for it..." he paused, trying to recall just what happened to the woman that they met when they encountered Itachi. "It's more like it lowers the mental barriers, making someone more susceptible... "He trailed off, taking note of the fear that was beginning to show on the women's faces. 'Probably thinking of Kakashi or Sasuke' he erroneously thought to himself. "It wasn't Kakashi-sensei or Sasuke whom the book way referring to anyway," he added. "It was Itachi; he had a girl use her charms to distract Jiraiya for a while to get him out of the picture for a while. Most of the things in the book are exaggerated anyway." He concluded, his face darkening at part when he mentioned Itachi.  
  
Shizune just watches Naruto as he finishes. 'He's probably confused on why their acting that way, probably doesn't even realize how different the girls on the village are'', referring to the puzzled look on his face as he looked at the ladies on the table. For someone like Naruto who had reached puberty outside the village and been in close company with the womanizing Jiraiya, things like "that" must be normal.  
  
Shizune had grown up in the village, but she had spent a good part of her adult life living outside it. The practices of the people outside the village was more than a little overwhelming to her at first, most female shinobi rarely ventured outside the village to experience their culture. When they did, they usually stayed for only a short period of time and had their companions usually acted as a sort of unintentional barrier. As a effect, most of the women were ignorant to some of the practices that the world outside of the village termed as "reality". They were relatively very sheltered, and found most of these practices "disturbing". Some of the males of the village on the other hand, found these practices very fascinating. It was this fascination that made the Icha Icha Paradise series very popular in the village.  
  
Despite this fascination though, men of the village lead simple personal lives. Ninja's met, courted, married, and then raise a family. Couples usually pair off for life and generally stay harmonious until they are well into their old age. Perhaps it is the fact that death could come to them at any time discourages them from wasting time fighting, preferring instead to live their daily lives as fully as possible.  
  
The women at the table retreated to their own thoughts for a moment, before Naruto brought them out of it. 'Business before pleasure' he thought wryly.  
  
"Ano... Gomen for interrupting. Anko-san, could I have talk to you for a moment?"  
  
A/N:  
  
Finally an update after so long. Almost 6 months since the last one.  
  
Some notes:  
  
Someone mentioned the fact that Sasuke, Hinata, Sakura, Kiba, and Shino are chunnins at the start of the fic, while in cannon, they never made it. I started laying the groundwork of the story before the chapter where they results of the chunnin exam was made known. Naruto was still technically a genin when he left, hence the reason why I mentioned that he was receiving the pay of a genin for his first year on the road. As far as the story is concerned, All of the participants of the final round made chunnin, the rest of the team made it the next time around (The former team 8 is excluded in this... I admit I havnt really thought what happened to them at the time). I was tempted to insert something that would reconcile the story to cannon a bit, but decided against it. I still believe that as far as the leaf contestants are concerned, Shino, Sasuke, Neji, Shikamaru and Naruto should have made it. From a practical standpoint, the loss of a large number of ninja's after the last attack should have made for a lot of vacancies. Finding replacements that are capable should have been one of the priorities of the village. Promoting only one ninja to fill the void is impractical, especially when you consider how competent the young ninja's are. In the military, vacant positions are filled as soon as possible, sometimes to the point of circumventing normal protocol. It's called a battlefield promotion.  
  
Regarding the lateness of the updates, I apologize. I had given up on the story for a while, leaving the first part of the chapter unfinished. It was hard to find the motivation to finish the chapter until the start of the year. The reviews and mail that I received asking on the status of the fic really helped get the story started again.  
  
I have the first few scenes of the next chapter written already, so it probably wouldn't mean that you would have to wait another 6 months for the next update.  
  
I'm finding it a bit hard to stop myself from having to insert certain things here and there. The beginning was really weak as far as far as the plot was concerned, I found that the story was just floating along, making the temptation to insert certain things here and there very strong. Elements which would probably have resulted in the story never being finished.  
  
I have this tendency to rant... so sorry about this. =) 


	7. Tests

Chapter 7

Shizune had left, and things at the tea house had returned  
  
to normal. In her usual seat, Yuuhi Kurenai listened to Sakura as she  
  
related the events of the forest to her. It was supposed to  
  
be a simple mission, locate a certain man and deliver a  
  
message. Kurenai was familiar with such missions. She had  
  
embarked on quite a number of them as a chunnin, as well as  
  
some as a jounin. It was one of the more common tasks that  
  
ninja's were ordered to do. Kurenai had expected Sakura and company to run into trouble,  
  
just not the kind of trouble that they found. Their  
  
particular mission was, after all, not a first. Kurenai  
  
herself had once been sent to locate a particular sennin and  
  
deliver a message, it had been a long and frustrating  
  
mission. She had later learned that, the particular sennin  
  
and his traveling companion were hard to find. Other ninja's  
  
who had been sent on identical missions had confirmed that,  
  
even to those with skills specialized in tracking. It wasn't  
  
that they were hiding from anyone, it was their annoying  
  
habit of drifting around without a particular destination  
  
that made the task of finding them rather difficult. That  
  
was 3 years ago. Kurenai glanced discreetly at the table that Naruto and Anko  
  
occupied. Anko had her business face on, which meant that  
  
whatever it was that they were discussing, it was shinobi  
  
business. Definitely not a social call. Kurenai, if asked,  
  
would readily admit that she was more than a little curious.  
  
Naruto, Kurenai knew, just recently returned to the village  
  
with Jaraiya. What sort of business could Naruto have that  
  
involved Anko? It should be fairly important if Naruto  
  
needed to speak to Anko so urgently that he had to seek her  
  
out when Anko was off duty. Anko wasn't really known for  
  
tolerance when it came to someone infringing on her personal  
  
time. Naruto was a enigma. He entered the academy earlier than  
  
most, failed the final exam 3 times before finally being  
  
allowed to graduate. The exact details of which are unknown,  
  
only the fact that earlier in the day Naruto had taken the  
  
scroll of seals from the Hokage and had defeated the academy  
  
teacher Mizuki sometime later. Naruto then managed to become  
  
a gennin under Kakashi— as a part of the first group he ever  
  
allowed to pass, and finally go to the chunnin exams—after  
  
only several months. At that point, Kurenai honestly thought  
  
that Naruto would drop out during the preliminary round for  
  
the final test. The preliminaries for the third round of the  
  
exams were individual contests and Naruto would have to fend  
  
for himself and try to go on without the rest of his team.  
  
His opponent had been Inuzaka Kiba, one of Kurenai's  
  
students, a young ninja whose growth Kurenai had personally  
  
watched over. At that time Kiba excelled in Taijutsu and  
  
tracking, Kiba's beast effect ninpo was a jutsu that  
  
complimented his form of taijutsu and Kurenai honestly  
  
thought that it would be more than enough to defeat Naruto. She was wrong. Naruto's strange luck had played a part in  
  
Kiba's defeat that day, but it was clear that it was  
  
something more than that. Naruto had grown, his fighting  
  
style was awkward and it was clear that he jumped into the  
  
fight without a plan, but despite all that, his adaptability  
  
under pressure and ability to formulate plans on the fly  
  
was above anybody else that fought on the arena that day.  
  
It was a bitter conclusion. Naruto's luck had played a  
  
pivotal role in the battle, sealing Kiba's fate. Kurenai  
  
acknowledged Naruto then, luck was after all part of the  
  
ninja's arsenal. As a ninja, she recognized his victory. As  
  
Kiba's teacher, recognition was harder. The manner of Kiba's  
  
defeat and her own preconceptions tainter her view of  
  
Naruto. And for a while, it was the teacher in her that  
  
dictated her opinion on the upcoming finals match. To be fair, nobody really expected Naruto to win his match  
  
against Neji. Neji was a genius with a bloodline limit that  
  
was arguably the best in the leaf. He was also a student  
  
trained in the ways of the Hyuuga brand of gentle fist, one  
  
of the most deadly forms of taijutsu in the village. His  
  
opponent graduated last after failing 3 times and had no  
  
bloodline limit to speak of. Naruto's chances of winning  
  
were very slim, Kurenai doubted that Naruto would a much of  
  
a challenge to Neji's talent. When the day of the match came, it seemed like the match  
  
predictions would indeed come true. The match was going  
  
Neji's way, Naruto hadn't landed a single effective hit  
  
while Naruto had felt two of the Hyuga clans moves; the  
  
kaiten and their most debilitating taijutsu maneuver, the 64  
  
hands of hakke. It seemed like Neji had won the match after  
  
that, Naruto's opening points were closed. Without charka  
  
and with the beating he had endured earlier, no one had  
  
expected Naruto to turn the tables on Neji—but he did.  
  
Naruto didn't have a bloodline, compared to the others he  
  
was grossly under trained in jutsu usage, his taijutsu was  
  
unrefined and constantly evolving. He was tired and his  
  
opponent was still fresh, but somehow he managed to tap into  
  
that source of power that lay deep inside of him. It was a unexpected move on his part, a move that froze the  
  
heart of everyone who remembered. Kurenai was sure that  
  
everyone who knew what was behind Naruto's miraculous second  
  
wind was on the verge of jumping into the arena and into  
  
battle. For a brief moment, they thought that their  
  
nightmares had returned. It hadn't, but when the fear had  
  
receded they were faced with the reality that the demon was  
  
still there, and somehow Naruto had control ever it. It was  
  
a terrifying prospect, and in hindsight, it was probably the  
  
event that nudged people into rethinking their image of the  
  
blond gennin. Kurenai may not have a demon sealed within her, she may not  
  
have felt the burden of always controlling yourself, but she  
  
knew enough. Anko, one of her closest friends, lived under  
  
the shadow of a curse seal—a "gift" from her former mentor.  
  
She saw what it did to Anko. Naruto had something in him  
  
that was more than a hundred times worse than Anko's curse  
  
seal. In addition to pressure from inside of him, he had to  
  
deal with the pressures from the outside. Then again Kurenai  
  
realized, she wasn't any better than the rest of the  
  
villagers. She may not have openly expressed her unease at  
  
the demon sealed within Naruto's navel, but then again,  
  
apathy was no better. Despite all that though, Naruto grew  
  
up in a interesting way—a common remark, especially coming  
  
from most of the older generation ninja's. Kurenai had seen  
  
glimpses of Naruto when growing up. From lonely child, to  
  
angry child, then finally to troublesome child. After being gone for 4 years, he was a child no longer.  
  
Kurenai wondered was this older version of Naruto was like  
  
and what he was capable of. She was intrigued, and this  
  
time, she would be watching him more closely to find out. Naruto looked at the remaining group of ninja's around the  
  
room a bit warily. For one of the few times in his life, he  
  
was glad that he decided to deliberately ignore sound  
  
advice. Not too many people took the time to try and help  
  
him through with something, and he learned to appreciate  
  
things like that very much. Growing up the way that he did,  
  
it should probably not come as too much of a surprise that  
  
Naruto often takes any advice given to him very seriously.  
  
While it was true that he often gave the villagers the  
  
perception of being someone who does not take advice to  
  
heart. It was also a fact that prior to being a gennin,  
  
there wasn't really anyone to give him any advice either.  
  
Early on Naruto had unconsciously decided that anyone who he  
  
didn't respect didn't deserve to be listened to. And to him,  
  
respect was earned. There wasn't a lot of people in that list, most especially  
  
adults. The number adults that Naruto genuinely respected  
  
was quite few, growing up as isolated and shunned as he was.  
  
Three days ago, that number had increased by one.  
  
Three days ago he had met Mitarashi Anko for the second  
  
time. Anko had been assigned as Naruto's guide in becoming a  
  
hunter-nin, Jiraiya had thought Naruto a lot of things, but  
  
the fine points in being a hunter-nin wasn't part of it.  
  
Nevertheless, Naruto wasn't really expecting that long of a  
  
association with the bloodthirsty special jounin, Naruto  
  
learned practical things pretty fast and Tsunade had  
  
mentioned that he wasn't required to go through the entire  
  
training process. Just learn some things that he hasn't  
  
learned yet and brush up on others. Naruto thought that it would be wise to introduce himself to  
  
his sensei to be. There were some things that they needed to  
  
discuss after all… like training times and other essential  
  
things. So with Shizune's help Naruto had managed to track  
  
Anko down for what was supposed to be a quick chat. When  
  
Naruto found her, he was a bit embarrassed to find that he  
  
seemed to have stumbled upon what seemed to be Anko's  
  
private time. Hoping to get things over with quickly he had  
  
asked for Anko, introduced himself, and asked for the most  
  
convenient possible time for them to meet again. Anko  
  
though, had other idea's. Anko it seemed, wasn't quite that put out by having her  
  
private time used for work. She had outlined the different  
  
courses a hunter-nin trainee had to learn and asked Naruto  
  
which parts he already had knowledge on. At first Naruto was  
  
quite conscious of the fact that he was keeping Anko from  
  
her other companions, but as time went on found he found  
  
himself forgetting about them and concentrating on his  
  
conversation with he soon to be sensei—for a little while  
  
anyway. When Kurenai joined them, they had strayed from the matter  
  
of training and found themselves talking about other topics.  
  
It was also then that he became aware of just how long he  
  
and Anko had been talking. It was already dark outside, and  
  
dinner was calling. Kurenai asked Naruto to join her and  
  
Anko for dinner, the two younger females had already left  
  
earlier—to Naruto's silent relief. It wasn't that he  
  
disliked their company, it was just that Naruto found  
  
himself unsure on how to deal with the two. He was still  
  
acclimatizing himself with to the village after his four  
  
year absence, and wasn't quite yet sure on how to fit his  
  
old acquaintances in. Naruto found dinner to be enjoyable, he found that Kurenai  
  
and Anko were pleasant company and that there were a lot of  
  
things to talk about. Having been dragged by Jiraiya around  
  
for four years had placed Naruto in a somewhat unique  
  
position compared to the many other ninja's in the village.  
  
Most ninja's of Konaha rarely spent time away from the  
  
village, and while many of them would eventually get to  
  
visit one of the many foreign villages sometime in their  
  
lives, those visits were usually work related and only  
  
rarely would they find the time to relax and mingle. The  
  
women were quite eager to hear about the foreign villages  
  
that Naruto had been to, and Naruto found himself happily  
  
talking about it. The two women were eager listeners, and  
  
Naruto eventually managed to lower his walls around a bit  
  
for them. Naruto was surprised on how easy he seemed to get  
  
along with these older women. It appeared that the two women  
  
felt that way as well, and it wasn't that much later when  
  
Naruto found himself as a somewhat reluctant listener to  
  
Kurenai's rambling about his traveling companion. As Jiraiya  
  
had predicted his latest book had indeed made an impact on  
  
the residents of Konoha, only not all of them were quite as  
  
appreciative on the latest installment as Kakashi was. It  
  
was also sometime during that dinner that Naruto found  
  
himself asking for Anko's advice on how to conduct the  
  
second exam for the chunnin selection trials. Anko had suggested, among a lot of other things, a flashy  
  
entrance, similar to her own entrance at the time when it  
  
was Naruto who had taken the trials. Antics like these were  
  
more than agreeable with Naruto, after all during his  
  
younger days he had done things in a manner very similar to  
  
Anko's own, a manner that can be described through one  
  
word—flashy. For this case though, something had compelled  
  
Naruto to ignore that suggestion and wait it out. He had  
  
reasoned at first that he was just feeling uneasy with such  
  
a garish entrance, him feeling a bit like a foreigner in his  
  
own village and all. Later on he decided that that wasn't  
  
they case, he never really was a person who cared on how  
  
those people viewed his all that time, why should he care  
  
now? He reasoned that it was just something that his  
  
instinct was telling him not to do. A good ninja trusts his  
  
instincts, so he decided to 'introduce' himself in another  
  
way. Something that he was finding very glad for doing.  
  
It wasn't that Anko's plan didn't have any merit. It did.  
  
Naruto always had a flair for the dramatic similar to Anko's  
  
and a loud and flashy entrance can be used to impress the  
  
gennin examinees and ultimately show a portion of the skill  
  
that the examiner possesses. Naruto's instinct though, had proven to be right.  
  
It had something to do with timing, most examiners follow  
  
the exam schedule very religiously. While the first exam  
  
wasn't always a written test, all examiners usually designed  
  
a test to follow the timetable laid out. Apparently this was  
  
not the case for this examiner, although after seeing who  
  
the examiner was, Naruto found that he wasn't really  
  
surprised. Kakashi was a well known ninja. Outside the village, his  
  
ability to copy jutsu from a opponent has made him famous to  
  
amongst a lot of foreign ninja as the copy-ninja Kakashi.  
  
Inside the village though, it is his peculiar habit of  
  
tardiness that made him infamous to the residents of Konaha  
  
with whom he had dealings with. Prior to Kakashi's arrival, things inside the waiting room  
  
were getting a bit out of hand. The chunnin candidates,  
  
totally ignorant of their examiners bad habit, were  
  
beginning to be a bit testy. Some scuffles had broken out  
  
between some of the gennins, but fortunately they had  
  
managed to settle it by themselves. Kakashi was no Morino Ibiki. His version of the first exam  
  
wasn't the mental torture under the façade of a written exam  
  
that Ibiki had devised, but it was just as effective in  
  
weeding out ill pre-prepared teams—if not more so. Kakashi  
  
performed a genjutsu on all the examines without letting  
  
them know. The teams which managed to break the jutsu in  
  
the time allowed passed, the teams that were fortunate  
  
enough to have members who managed recognize the genjutsu  
  
and avoid it passed as well. The rest failed. Total number of gennins who passed… 27. Naruto couldn't help but admire Kakashi's tactic. The  
  
genjutsu had been activated a few seconds after Kakashi's  
  
rather loud entrance, a entrance which just made people look  
  
at his direction. Someone who suddenly appeared in a puff of  
  
smoke heralded by a rather loud pop in a room for of  
  
anxiously waiting gennins would bound to have that effect.  
  
Especially on a group of unprepared and impatient examinees.  
  
Mass genjutsu work very well, but are very easy to shrug off  
  
if you recognize the signs of its use. One such jutsu  
  
performed on a stadium full of people had incapacitated the  
  
majority of the people watching one of the finals matches.  
  
Most of the gennins fell to its effects, even some of the  
  
chunnin. Kakashi's genjutsu, Naruto realized, was about willpower.  
  
Unlike Ibiki, Kakashi didn't have the patience and ability  
  
to back the examinees into a mental corner and make them  
  
confront their shortcomings and lack of confidence.  
  
Naruto watched as Kakashi was winding down and smiled,  
  
knowing what would happen next. The examinees were mentally  
  
congratulating themselves for making it though the first  
  
test when Kakashi disappeared in a gust of wind, a exit as  
  
unexpected as his entrance. This was Naruto's cue. It was show time. When the first examiner vanished after administering the  
  
first exam, Moegi sighed in relief. She was glad that her  
  
team had managed to pull through, she was even more glad  
  
that it was over.  
  
She looked across the room and found Konahamaru smiling at  
  
her. She waved back.  
  
Only 9 teams had made it through, less than 15% of the  
  
original number of examinees. It was a sobering statistic  
  
that made her earlier relief pass. Moegi had been a chunnin  
  
for 2 years, but this was her first try at the chuunin  
  
exams. In her team, Konohamaru had already taken the exam  
  
once, having been nominated 6 months prior. He had been  
  
placed in a team of older genins for that duration. He  
  
hadn't made it past the first test. She was happy that she had made it past the first exam, she  
  
just hoped that the next exam wasn't anything like the  
  
first. As a gennin she didn't have too much of experience in  
  
genjutsu. She hadn't been aware that it was being cast, and  
  
it had only been after a long struggle with her self had she  
  
realized that she was under it. Totally. It wasn't easy confronting your own fears, and it seemed  
  
that the genjutsu used on them as the first exam amplified  
  
your own thoughts against your. For her, it had been letting  
  
her team down. They were her friends, and she would do  
  
almost anything to make them succeed, and if it was her that  
  
was holding them down, she would let go. They were old  
  
friends, they had been together even since she joined that  
  
academy. It was the ideal team for her, they were  
  
comfortable with each other and worked well together. They  
  
weren't quite equals when it came to talent—Konohamaru was  
  
definitely the most talented in the group, but their  
  
familiarity with each other allowed them to function well  
  
and reinforce any weakness they had as individuals.  
  
One such weakness was Moegi's susceptibility to the  
  
genjutsu. She had almost succumbed to the illusion, but it  
  
was her teammates that carried her through. She knew how  
  
important making chuunin was to Konohamaru. It was her  
  
refusal to be the reason for the postponement of  
  
Konohamaru's dreams that gave her the strength to defeat the  
  
illusion and make it through. Moegi just hoped that the next examiner—who wasn't anywhere  
  
to be found, wasn't as sadistic as the previous examiner.  
  
The remaining examinees were beginning to get restless but  
  
the chunnin examiners didn't seem to be too concerned. She  
  
spotted one examinee from Konoha stand up, presumably to  
  
inquire what happens next when the screens up front opened. The second examiner had arrived. Naruto recognized the examinees confusion when Kakashi made  
  
his silent exit. Kakashi had that effect on people. Confused  
  
incredulity, sort of like the feeling you get when someone  
  
turns away without warning in the middle of a conversation.  
  
Naruto was half tempted to let the genins stew for a little  
  
while longer but that wasn't really his thing. No fun in  
  
playing mind games on a room full of strangers. He opened the door and stepped into the room.  
  
"Congratulations on passing the first exam. My name is  
  
Uzumaki Naruto, the examiner for the second test." Naruto searched for familiar faces among the examinees.  
  
Konohamaru was there, as was Moegi and their friend… the  
  
third member of their trio. He was secretly pleased to see  
  
them. The remaining examinees were studying Naruto intently,  
  
hoping to read something about the examiner. He moved his  
  
gaze over the room one more time before announcing. "Follow me." It wasn't a long walk towards the site for the second exam.  
  
Like his exam, Naruto had opted for a closed area where  
  
access in and out was limited. The 22nd practice area. Like  
  
the 44th practice area, the 22nd practice area was a  
  
circular fenced area 10km from the fence to the center.  
  
Unlike the 44th though, the denizens of the 22nd wasn't  
  
primarily composed of oversized predators. The usual  
  
predators were there, only they were normal. Normal wolves,  
  
normal crocodiles, normal snakes. Also, the interior 22nd  
  
practice area was primarily swampland. Naruto stopped at a rocky area in sight of the fence, he  
  
looked back at the examinees to make sure they were all  
  
there. "The 22nd practice area." He announced when everyone's  
  
attention was focused on him. "The objective of this test is simple, Survive." He paused  
  
for a moment to let that sink in, before continuing on.  
  
"The test duration is 7 days. Within that time period,  
  
anyone can back out without consequence to the rest of the  
  
team. All they have to go is go back to the gate. The rest  
  
of the team may continue on. At the center of the training  
  
area is a tower, its doors will be opened at the end of the  
  
seventh day. All you need is to go inside." "There are only 3 conditions that you need to take note of.  
  
Number one, no killing. Number two, no team may join up with  
  
another team. If a team member decides to leave, the rest  
  
will have to continue on by themselves. Number three,  
  
everyone will receive a scroll. Open that if you need to  
  
exit the test area but cant make it back to the gate. Take  
  
note though, using the scroll means the rest of the team.  
  
Use it wisely." He concluded. "At that stall over there you will be assigned a gate number  
  
and given the scrolls. The test begins in an hour. Good  
  
luck." In the tower in the middle of the 22nd practice area, 18  
  
chuunin examiners lay in wait for the head examiner for the  
  
second test. The second exam should have begun 2 hours ago,  
  
and it was almost time for the other examiners to begin  
  
their work. Or as the other older chuunins would say, it was  
  
time for some fun. Sakura had to admit the Naruto's plan for the second exam  
  
sounded like a lot of fun. It wasn't the bloody battles that  
  
Anko had designed for her test, but it was still hard. The  
  
22nd practice area was like one huge swamp. Looking for a  
  
place to sleep was hard, holding that location was even  
  
harder. Animals roamed around the practice area, a lot of  
  
them could do serious injury if treated lightly. The  
  
examiners job, was to harass the examinees, push them beyond  
  
their limit. Deny them rest, make them nervous, bring them  
  
close to the breaking point. Do this for seven days. For a plan thought of by Naruto, it surprisingly made a lot  
  
of sense. A lot of class B missions were like that. A lot of  
  
fatigue and not enough sleep, with occasional pursuers. Only  
  
this time, it would be them that would be doing the  
  
pursuing. With a nice tower to retire to for rest and food.  
  
The other examiners were surprised at the no killing rule  
  
that Naruto had insisted on. They had argued that there were  
  
times during the exam where it was the fear of sure death  
  
that allowed a team to go beyond their normal limits. They  
  
further argued that the no killing rule was a big handicap  
  
to the examines and that death was something that a shinobi  
  
should consider at all time. For his part, Naruto had  
  
justified his no killing rule by citing the losses that  
  
Konoha had suffered on the last several years. He conceded  
  
on the argument on death being a essential part of being a  
  
ninja, but had argued that with or without the rule, the  
  
examines were bound to face the issue anyway in the future.  
  
Konoha, he said, had yet to fully recover from its losses  
  
during the war with the sound and the kyuubi. And while it  
  
had managed to reestablish its place as one of the great  
  
shinobi nations, manpower was still short. Sakura was of two minds when it came to the issue, she  
  
acknowledged the reasoning for both sides, but kept silent.  
  
It wasn't her decision to make. When it came to the exams,  
  
the head examiner had absolute control on all aspects.  
  
Sakura was looking forward to this assignment. At her second  
  
try at the chuunin exams, the examiners at the village of  
  
the hidden stone had been particularly sadistic. She had  
  
passed that exam, but inner Sakura had been looking for some  
  
payback ever since. The other she knew shared the same  
  
sentiment, it was obvious by the gleam in their eyes. The  
  
only thing about this mission that she was uncomfortable  
  
about, was the chief examiner. Naruto still made her uneasy. The contrast between the  
  
Naruto that she once knew and the Naruto that recently  
  
returned to the village was vast. And that unsettled her.  
  
She regretted the fact that she was unable to square things  
  
with Naruto, but she was unsure on how to approach him about  
  
it. Naruto had been cool to people at first, saying little and  
  
displaying none of the hyper activeness that he was known  
  
for as a boy. But over the last few days she had seen  
  
glimpses of that old Naruto, only this time, it wasn't for  
  
display to everyone. She was a bit envious. The ease at which he had gotten along with Anko and Kurenai  
  
had been surprising. As far as Sakura knew this was the  
  
first time that Naruto went back to the village in four  
  
years. Sakura had known Anko for close to 3 years now, and  
  
it had taken a lot of time before Sakura felt comfortable  
  
around her presence. Despite Anko's happy go lucky  
  
appearance, she wasn't too good at meeting new people.  
  
Naruto had managed to befriend her in a few hours. Maybe it was the time they spent apart, but then again  
  
Naruto didn't have any problems getting along with Sasuke,  
  
or Shikamaru, or Kiba. She wondered if there was something that she was missing.  
  
After all, wasn't she supposed to be the former teammate?  
  
Had they not entrusted their lives to one another before? No that wasn't it. It wasn't any of those things that made  
  
the things between them uneasy. Sakura may have buried  
  
whatever memory of Naruto she had, but the essence of it was  
  
still there. Naruto, Sakura knew, would undoubtedly feel the  
  
same way. The reason for the uneasy state with them was that  
  
Sakura had stumbled across something that she wasn't  
  
supposed to. Her mother wished Naruto dead, and if she  
  
thought about it, that sentiment was shared by a lot of  
  
other people. What's more, judging by Naruto's reaction, he  
  
had know. He had known for a long time. Naruto wasn't going to go to her, he wanted Sakura to make  
  
her own conclusion, to choose her own side.  
  
She was going to hit him in the head.  
  
She was supposed to be his friend after all. She may not  
  
know why, but the their past history together should speak  
  
for itself. 'When I get my hands on you Naruto!' 

A/N:  
  
It was really hard to decide on how I should write the first  
  
and second exams during the chunnin selection trials. It  
  
took a lot of time to think of a exam that would embody the  
  
essence of the chunnin exam that Naruto took part in without  
  
having to repeat the same exam.  
  
I decided long before I started writing this chapter that  
  
the next time a chunnin selection exam took place I should  
  
write things differently. Repeating the same type of first  
  
and second exam, the first exam most especially, would go  
  
against the purpose of the exam in the first place. Ninja's  
  
who already took the exam would already know that to do and  
  
then the real purpose of the exam—weeding out those that  
  
were ready from those that weren't, would be lost.  
  
I decided that for the first exam, the main thing being  
  
tested is the examines willingness to face the unknown and  
  
uncertain, even under what seems to be terrible odds. The  
  
second exam would basically be a test of toughness.

Sorry about the formatting, FF.net insists on it no matter what changes I make. Ill have to refomat everything from scratch and re-upload it later on.

Story may have a lot of grammatical and spelling mistake, and I apologize in advance.


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